Monday Cardinal Couple - The Sandy Pearsall Interview

MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Interview with Softball's Sandy Pearsall

(CARDINAL COUPLE'S exclusive interview with head UofL softball coach Sandy Pearsall. We hope you like it!)

CARDINAL COUPLE: Looking at this veteran team you have returning...do you have one team leader?

Coach Pearsall: We actually have multiple leaders on this team. We do develop a group of players to lead this team and we start them off in their sophomore year...so we've built this leadership group over a period of time. We have Jordy Trimble involved in that, Chrisanna Roberts..our senior leaders. Also some one who has come on the field and has been involved with leadership is senior Alicia Wolny. We'll miss leadership that we had from Kristin Austin, Chelsea Leonard, Tesha Paysen. Those three were instrumental is leadership, but I think these three are definitely headed in that direction.

CARDINAL COUPLE: Any chance at all of Leonard coming back to pitch at all?

Coach Pearsall: No. The knee won't allow it. She'll graduate this year. She'd have eligibility left, if she wanted to go somewhere else and play...she could...but to get this to work out we had to career end her here. Basically, we couldn't have gone on this year without a replacement pitcher. We wish she could have had four years playing for us.

CARDINAL COUPLE: So, that leaves Caralisa Connell as your main pitcher. Some Cardinal fans are wondering...if there is a weakness on this team this year, it is pitching?

Coach Pearsall: It is our unknown, that is for sure. This is the year we'll expect Caralisa to step up, just like Tori Collins stepped up a few years ago when we weren't getting what we expected out of Kristen Wadwell. Seeing what "Carl", our nickname for Caralisa, did at the end of last year for us...she's done the work for us. I think she's going to have a great year for us. She's our strength on the pitching staff.

We did add Rachel Le Coq, who transferred from Colgate. She's embraced her role here and we've seen a lot of good things from her. Can she carry us? No, not now. Maybe a year from now...but she will give us a lot of innings of support...hopefully

CARDINAL COUPLE: Any truth to the rumor that you've reached a deal to bring Katie Petrino back to pitch...and promised to lend Connell to Coach Trimble on the golf team?

Coach Pearsall: (laughing) I don't know! I'll have to ask Carl how her golf game is! (Laughing). We'd take Katie back any day she wanted to come back because she is just the greatest competitor. I'm not sure that Carl's golf game is going to be strong enough to help the golf team but I'll check with Carl on that...(laughing).

CARDINAL COUPLE: Remember you drive for show and putt for dough.  You've been ranked third in the BIG EAST. How do feel about that? I mean, you only lose five games all year and you win the BIG EAST and third?

Coach Pearsall: Actually, it's probably because of the way the voters are looking at our returning pitching. South Florida had a great NCAA Tournament run, they return a powerhouse team and a great pitcher, so I can see where they deserve the top spot. Same for Notre Dame, they get back a lot of power, speed and good pitching also...so were comfortable with third. And, it's just pre-season stuff. The important thing is where you are at the end of the season .
 

DePaul returns a great team. Syracuse loses Jenna Caira, a great pitcher, but has a good pitcher to replace her that is a senior. You also have to watch out for Rutgers and Pitt, they're very capable teams. It's not a simple conference, it not an easy conference...and it's a case of where we still don't play everybody. We don't play South Florida in the regular season. Good and bad maybe? I'd rather play them in the regular season just to know what we might be facing come tournament time. We don't play DePaul in conference play, but we will go up against them in Vegas. Verdun, their big hitter and pitcher is back for them.

CARDINAL COUPLE: Talk a little about the season opener. You're headed to Las Vegas for three games.

Coach Pearsall: It's a great opportunity for us to see what we've got early on....obviously. Some great teams out there and we're looking forward to the tests. Just to get the season started.

CARDINAL COUPLE: Looking at the non-conference schedule, it looks to be the strongest I've ever seen for UofL softball...

Coach Pearsall: It's definitely going to be a big challenge for us. We schedule over a year out, so you're anticipating what you might have. If I'd known I was going to lose Leonard, I might have had some different thoughts in my scheduling but with that said...we do have a veteran team back and we need to be challenged. Carl needs to be challenged and we need to show we can step up to that next level, that next spot in our toughness. You have schools on there...LSU, Texas, Oklahoma, Michigan, North Carolina...these are always extremely good programs. Oklahoma being the cream of the crop. They come back very intact and have actually added even more power. It's a great challenge for us. You're not going to get better playing the teams you can easily beat. If you can go out there and beat teams like this, that's a real accomplishment.

CARDINAL COUPLE: Basketball coaches talk about their players either having or lacking a "basketball IQ". Does that apply to softball as well?

COACH PEARSALL: Definitely. Like all coaches, we have kids who have played the game but not learned the game. They're directed, like in youth ball and club or high school, so they're told what to do but they are not learning the game. We work with them on situational things, like what to expect when they are batting and there is a certain count...like 2-1 or 0-2. They have to be able to learn the game to be able to play it at the highest level. Basketball coaches talk about wanting their kids to be "gym rats" and that apply to our players as well. They have to want to go do things on their own like going to the batting cages and working on hitting because the amount of time we are allowed to work with them is very limited.

CARDINAL COUPLE: Who is the hardest worker on your team?

Coach Pearsall: Wow. That's a tough one. There are kids who have really matured from their freshman year, like Hannah Kiyohara. Alicja Wolny. Taner Fowler and Maggie Ruckenbrod. Katie Keller. They go and they do a lot extra on their own. Our pitchers do a lot of work on their own. I have some kids that don't put in as much work on their own like I would like to see, but I'd say 80% of them do the extra work.

CARDINAL COUPLE: There has been talk about some additions and improvements over at Ulmer Stadium. Please go over those.

Coach Pearsall: Expansion is scheduled to take place at the end of this season. Some dugout improvements, like getting some bathrooms in there. In the stadium, there will be about another 100 seats added and a terrace on the top, so fans can walk from one side to the other. An expanded press box, too. And a covering over part of our stands, too that will provide some protection during bad weather or sunny days when people want to get out of the sun. We're also going to be building a new locker room and club house. This is really needed, this is greatly needed. The current one is a tight fit. We actually don't have enough lockers for our players. It'll be where the concession area and restrooms are now, right across from Ulmer.

CARDINAL COUPLE: Any final words for our readers?

Coach Pearsall: Just to thank them for their support and continued support. I hope we can continue to have that great fan support by putting a great product and program out there for them to cheer for and support.
.
..
...

Saturday Cardinal Couple -- Softball ready for 2013

SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Experience and power on hand for Softball

-Softball Dinner Saturday night @ Hyatt

Even though the weather in Louisville is below freezing, # 18 Louisville Softball is busy preparing for the opening weekend Feb 8th. in Las Vegas. The team uses the indoor Trager Center for the basics of batting and fielding and we're not sure how many holes have been put in the roof by Taner Fowler, Alicja Wolny, Maggie Ruckenbrod, Jordan Trimble and the rest of the Cards wrecking crew...but Sandy Pearsall has bats galore ready to take the Ulmer Stadium field this spring.

If there's any questions at all about the team that swept the BIG EAST last year and won 55 games, it's who will fill in for departed pitchers Tori Collins, graduated and married and Chelsea Leonard who has given up the game because of perpetually bad knees.

Caralisa Connell returns, and went 19-1 last season. Rachel LeCoq, a transfer from Colgate, is there as needed. Both freshman Jasmine Smithson-Willett and returning outfielder Jordan Trimble are able to step in the circle if needed...Coach "P" is very high on the freshman Smithson-Willett and has indicated she'll contend for a spot in the starting line-up if not throwing strikes and balls.

For Connell, a junior...it's a role she's carried before. In 2011, injuries to Leonard and Collins left Pearsall with just one pitcher...the freshman from Murfreesboro, TN. Pearsall combed the campus and came up with Katie Petrino, on campus to play golf for UofL and daughter of former football coach Bobby Petrino to bring to the roster as a backup hurler.

Connell pitched every game, every inning for a three week peroid and won 12 straight while going 20-7 on the season. There is no truth to the rumor that current golf coach Courtney Trimble has petitioned Pearsall to have Connell grab a five-iron and hit the links this spring.

Besides Smithson-Willett, two other freshmen are on the roster this year for UofL. Ally Vaughn was the 8th Region Player of the Year in Kentucky and the first baseman from Henry County High School is known to have great power at the plate. Brittany Sims was the #7 ranked player in the state. The utility player hails from Lexington (KY) Lafayette and was also a top discus performer in track and field.  

It'll be a tough lineup to crack. Fowler, Katelyn Mann, Keller, Whitney Arion, Ruckenbrod, Jennifer Esteban, Trimble, Wolny and Hannah Kiyohara all started regularly or played extensively for the Cards last year. 12 letter-winners return.

The crowds at Ulmer should be thrilled this season with a veteran and powerful lineup. If the pitching can hold, we think preseason #12 South Florida and maybe Notre Dame will be the only teams good enough to push the Cards out of the running for back-to-back titles.

Vegas...opening on Feb. 8th. Would be a great get-away weekend, if you want to combine roulette and round-trippers. I wouldn't bet against the Cards sweeping the Invitational in Sin City.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

The Softball Bullpen Dinner is tonight at the downtown Hyatt. Cocktail hour begins at 5:30 and dinner at 7:30 p.m. Washington All-American Danielle Lawrie is the featured speaker.

CARDINAL COUPLE had a wonderful time there last year and we're pleased and happy to be returning again this year. We'll have full coverage of the event in the Sunday edition of CARDINAL COUPLE and a preview of WBB vs. St. John's.

..
...

SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Softball Bullpen Dinner features Olympian Danielle Lawrie

-Villanova for real? Wildcats 4-0 in BIG EAST

The Louisville Softball Bullpen Club Dinner is being held
January 26th. at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and the keynote speaker is Danielle Lawrie. The Cards will celebrate the success of the record-setting season 2012 BIG EAST Championship season and introduce the 2013 team in their sixth pre-season annual fundraiser.

Lawrie was a pitcher and clean-up hitter for University of Washington and was named the Women's College World Series Most Outstanding Player...pitching every inning during the Huskies' 2009 national championship run.

Tickets are still available for the event.

Call 502.852.0706 to be a part of a most outstanding evening that kickoffs a potentially incredible season for Sandy Pearsall's squad.

This 2013 team has hitting, fielding, pitching and talent that just may well be the best in Louisville Softball history.
All American Taner Fowler is just one of seven returning starters and twelve letterwinners that promise to rattle the fences at Ulmer Stadium and send opponents home with "L"s.

We'll see you there!

<><><<><><><><><><><><><><<><><><><<><><><><><><><><>

One of the surprises of the BIG EAST womens' basketball season, at least for us, has been the Villanova Wildcats. With a win Saturday over a very good USF team, VU is now sporting a 15-2 overall record and 4-0 record in BIG EAST play. Sonja and I have different viewpoints on just how powerful these Cats are and we discuss them below..

Sonya:

They have an unblemished BIG EAST record. That's more than UConn, UofL and Rutgers can say -- three of the top four teams in my pre-season rankings. They're getting it done with team play, too. Laura Sweeney, Rachel Roberts, Devon Kane, Lauren Burford and Taylor Holeman are all capable of putting up double figures anytime the Wildcats take the court. Their win over USF legitimizes that they've "arrived" . They're second in scoring defense in BIG EAST games and have a +13.0 scoring advantage over all opponents. Sweeney leads the BIG EAST in steals. Only Minnesota and Delaware have defeated them this season -- two teams that could make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

Paul:

15-2 looks great and you have to take your hat off to Harry Perreta for the job he's done with this veteran bunch. They may well go 5-0 in the BIG EAST with Providence up next.

Then, here comes the boom. Syracuse, at Connecticut, at Rutgers and Notre Dame. Hello, 5-4.

There are several tiers of talent this year in the BIG EAST. UConn and Notre Dame are in the penthouse suite. Living in the condos below them are Syracuse, Louisville, St. John's DePaul, USF and Rutgers. I put Villanova in affordable housing with Georgetown. Underneath the 2nd St. Bridge in cardboard boxes are Cincinnati, Providence, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall and Marquette.

Sweeney, Burford, Roberts and the rest of the Brady Bunch threw a scare into Louisville last year in the KFC YUM!...losing 62-58. The Cards did a little better against them in the first round of the BIG EAST Tourney, getting a 63-48 win. Sweeney had 31 points total in both games. They get Louisville this year in the Pavillion in Philly on Sunday, Feb 24th....a place that holds 6500 but only 500 or so bother to attend. The Cards will get a tough road win there...one of those games where the popular Cardinals will draw 1500-2000 to attend.

Villanova is impressive, so far. Let's see where they are when they face the Cards. My guess is 7-5 in the BIG EAST.
.
..
...

Friday Cardinal Couple - Softball set to start in Feburary

FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Coach P. returns power, speed and hitting for 2013

-Bullpen Softball Dinner coming up!

-Should we name the Ulmer Dome after Jurich or Sonja?

University of Louisville head softball coach Sandy Pearsall spoke to an appreciative crowd at the monthly Sportsmen's
Supper Club meeting at the University Club Thursday night
and CARDINAL COUPLE was there to bring you the exclusive
report on it.

First off the bat, Coach P. expressed her thanks for the fan support that the 55-win Cards had during their magical season last year. She noted that it was very special to the players and also a great recruiting tool for future softball Cards. She explained that the entire success of Louisville athletics was quite important to recruiting for all UofL sports, seeing Cardinal fans in droves at the Sugar Bowl, Cardinal basketball games and at the softball regionals speaks directly to the prospective recruit that the Louisville fan base backs their teams.

Sandy Pearsall has a veteran, experienced and slugging bunch of softball Cards hard at work for the season-opener (less than a month away!) in Las Vegas at the three-day Sportco Kickoff Classic. The only starters graduated from last year's team are right fielder Kristin Austin and pitcher Tori Collins. Chelsea Leonard has had to end her softball career because of recurring knee injuries.

How about this for a lineup to choose from! Jordan Trimble, Maggie Ruckenbroad, Jennifer Esteban, Alicia Wolny, Katelynn Mann, Taner Fowler, Whitney Arion, Katie Keller and (Sonja's favorite player) Hannah Kiyohara all return for the Cards. Pitcher Caralisa Connell will see the majority of balls and strikes work...but transfer Rachel LeCoq and Jasmine Smithson-Willett are available as well. Smithson-Willett, a true freshman from Cailfornia, will likely see some outfield time as well...Pearsall describes her as a powerful hitter and extremely fast on the bases.

Coach has her work cut out for her with one of the toughest non-conference schedules she can remember since arriving at Louisville. The BIG EAST didn't do the team any favors either with scheduling in 2013 or 2014. UofL head baseball coach Dan McDonnell, who also spoke to the group, and Coach P. are pretty sure that their teams will compete in the BIG EAST in this and the 2014 seasons.   

A most informative and heartfelt presentation by Coach Pearsall and if you haven't been to a Louisville softball game, you definitely need to get out to Ulmer Stadium this season! This isn't the slow-pitch softball you played in the church league last summer. It's fast, exciting and competitive.  

***************************************************************************

You don't want to miss the upcoming Louisville softball Bullpen Club Dinner to kickoff the season on Saturday, Jan 26th. at the Hyatt Regency. Cocktails at 6 p.m.

The tickets are $50 each and funds go to support Louisville softball. There will also be a cash bar and a great silent auction with items available from many UofL sports.

Sonja and I atttended last year and will be there again this year. It's a blast and we highly recommend you go!

This year's speaker is Olympian and 2009 and 2010 NCAA Player of the Year Danielle Lawrie. She played her college ball at the University of Washington. You'll love her.

Tickets can be purchased by calling 502.852-0706 or e-mailing Christine Krellwitz at christine.krellwitz@louisville.edu

You can also download the form at www.gocards.com

See you there!

*************************************************************************

(The following section is a parody. PLEASE don't send any money to Timmy the Intern...)

We spoke at length with Coach after the meeting about her dream and our cause celebe now....putting a dome over Ulmer Stadium. Based on our talk, CARDINAL COUPLE has decided to put Timmy the Intern in charge of fundraising for the auspicious and ground-breaking venture. If you see Timmy and his crack team of fundraising chimps out at local venues, please donate generously. Small, non-sequential bills ($20 and under) are strongly recommended and suggested.

We are also working out the details of installing toll booths near the field at the intersection of Floyd Street and Brandeis...manned by softball players...to speed along the funding. We're hoping former mayor and current Lt. Governor Jerry Abramson will return our calls and pull a few strings to get this approved by city planning.  

We're going on record that the facility be named The Sonja Softball Stadium or SonjaDome...after our beloved operations manager here at CARDINAL COUPLE.

Online donations (all major credit cards) can be processed by going to the website www.TimmytheInternventures.com
You're on your own there...we got nothing to do with it.

We've suggested the brilliant contractor Manual Labor for the job and his construction crew of Wood, Hammer, Beam and Stucco. Now that the floods and labor strikes have ended in Belize...the boys should be available once we get those pesky work permits approved and appropriate bribes donations paid off to certain unnamed parties. The statute of limitations that prevented them from working in the United States has expired and we're confident this will be another "gem" on the UofL campus when completed.

CARDINAL COUPLE construction consultant MArkie MArk predicts it will "be a showplace that will attract both young and old due to it's majestic beauty, innovative design and one-of-a-kind structural integrity." He's pretty smart about stuff like this, so ..."what he said"

A recent staff meeting, poorly attended and...honestly, these people have the attention span of eight-year olds...also came up with other fund-raising ideas...like having Honey Boo Boo throw out the first pitch at a game this year, having a "Dress like a member of the Third Reich" night at the ballpark, letting Bill the Goat pitch an inning for the Cards and having a lobster toss in between innings for the fans. All these ideas were emphatically shot down by operations manager and co-owner Sonja and the meeting abruptly came to an end when Jeff and Paulie ended up exchanging haymakers for the final piece of pizza.

BE SURE to check back tomorrow here at CARDINAL COUPLE for Quentin Voigt/Elvis Redbird's scout on the University of Louisville WBB's next opponent...the Providence Friars. The Cards take to the road for this Saturday game and "Q" has the scoop for you!
..
...

Pearsall to be inducted into Cradle of Coaches...Harrington headed to South Dakota...

.
FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Sandy Pearsall to be inducted to Miami Cradle of Coaches Association


-Ex-WBB Harrington headed to South Dakota


Miami University (OH) has the nickname "the Cradle of Coaches" because of the many coaches in numerous sports that got their start with the RedHawks and went on to bigger jobs and national recognition.


The names Weeb Eubank, Woody Hayes, Paul Brown, Bill Mallory, Walter Alston and Ara Parseghian are just a few of the many individuals who used Miami as a proving ground before becoming highly noted and respected coaches in football, baseball and other sports. 


Add Sandy Pearsall to that august and distinguished fraternity. 

She and four other inductees will be the 2012-13 class and honored during Miami's football game vs. Massachusetts on Saturday, Sept 22 before being inducted during a dinner that evening. 


The Cradle of Coaches Association was established in 1971 to acknowledge the role Miamians have played in establishing Miami University as the Cradle of Coaches.

Coach Pearsall spent six years (1992-98) as the head softball coach of the RedHawks. At Miami, she coached nine All-MAC players and 16 Academic All-MAC students. She left the Oxford, Ohio school to begin Louisville softball from scratch. In her thirteen years as Cardinal skipper, she is 506-261 and taken the Cards to nine straight NCAA appearances. She and the staff were the BIG EAST Softball Coaches of the Year in the 2012 season and she has led Louisville to five conference titles in C-USA and the BIG EAST.


Congratulations, Sandy! 


Keep on, keeping on...


*******************************************


Former Louisville WBB player Polly Harrington is on the move again. She's leaving Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, KS. to play ball and attend classes at the University of South Dakota.


South Dakota women's basketball coach Ryun Williams had this to sign about Polly: 

"Polly is a really neat young lady and a player with a very good skill set. She is a very physical and strong player inside and also has a great feel for playing on the perimeter. Her versatility will fit in nicely with our system. Polly comes from one of the best junior colleges in the country and she has been extremely well-coached during her time at JCCC."


She joins four other players as Coyote recruits for the 2012-13 season. USD was 23-8 last year and got to the second round of the WNIT before losing to Colorado. She'll have two year of eligibility with the Coyotes.  


Four days ago, Williams announced he was leaving the Coyotes and taking the head coaching job at Colorado State.


*******************************************

Walton is a 6'2" forward

Jody Demling is reporting on his Courier-Journal recruiting blog that 2013 WBB signee Cortnee Walton and her parents will leave from Carefree, AZ and travel to Springfield, MO to meet up with fellow 2013 WBB signee Megan Deines and her family for a few days before the girls head to Louisville. 

Deines is a 5'11" guard

Seems they've become fast friends since they decided to attend Louisville. Deines visited Walton earlier this year in Arizona. 


They join a Cardinal WBB squad that looks to be the deepest, most talented and skilled since Angel and Candyce's senior season. 

Hoops are less than six months away. The girls are working hard with individual instructions, conditioning, strengthening, pick up games and some are attending summer classes as well.


You can read Jody's article about the Missouri Express that'll be steamrolling into the Derby City on his blog site at the Courier-Journal.   


.
..
... 

CARDS WIN BIG EAST TOURNAMENT

.
LOUISVILLE SOFTBALL WINS BIG EAST TOURNAMENT 4-3 OVER NOTRE DAME


-Jordan Trimble walk off homer in eighth gives UofL a 4-3 win.


-HAPPY MOTHERS DAY! 

Hometown girl makes good. Louisville sophomore Jordan Trimble, from Louisville Manual High School, took Laura Winter's first pitch of the eighth inning over the right-field fence to give Louisville the 2012 BIG EAST Tournament trophy. 


A comeback win for the Cards...who were down 3-0 after three innings. Once again, the never-say-die, play to the final out philosophy of Sandy Pearsall's crew prevails...defeating the Irish on their home field on a cool, cloudy and rainy day in South Bend. 


Tori Collins got the start for Louisville, the first of three Cardinal pitchers to enter the circle Saturday night. Laura Winter was the pitching foe, the Big East Pitcher of the year. 

Not sure if we settled who was the better of the two today...Winter gave up ten hits in seven innings and Collins allowed eight hits in her four innings on the mound. 


Notre Dame put the first run on the scoreboard in the top of the second. Casey O'Conner singling and scoring on a Alexa Maldonado, two-out bloop single to left. 


The Cards couldn't get anything much accomplished early against Winter...just three hits in three innings...and when the Irish's Katey Haus drilled a two-run homer off Collins with two outs in the top of the third inning-- the Cards found themselves down 3-0 to the #2 seed in the BIG EAST. 


It would be the last runs Notre Dame would produce, though. After Collins got the Irish out in the top of the fourth, UofL went to work. 

Taner Fowler started the inning with her 12th home run of the year, a blast to left-center that easily cleared the fence. Trimble followed with a triple to right-center. She scored on a Katelyn Mann sacrifice bunt to get Louisville back within one. Hannah Kiyohara hit into a double play to end the inning, though ...and Notre Dame had a brief reprieve. 


Caralisa Connell replaced Collins in the circle to start the fifth inning and shut the Irish down with just a Haus infield single. The Cards tied it in the home half of the inning...Jennifer Esteban singling to left-center, going to second on a Alicja Wolny walk and scoring on Taner Fowler's second RBI of the game...a sharp single to left. With two outs, Jordan Trimble sent a high fly to center...but Maldonado backed up to the fence and made the catch to end the inning. Trimble was sending deep flies to the outfield each time up. 

Rain greeted the teams as the Cards took the field to start the sixth. Connell set the Irish down in order in the top half of the inning, but Louisville could only manage a Katelyn Mann single to right in the steady downpour in the bottom of the inning.


The Irish threatened in the top of the seventh as the rain eventually stopped. With two walks from Connell, they had runners on second and third with two outs. Sandy Pearsall went to the bullpen and brought in Chelsea "Super Reliever"  Leonard to pitch to Haus and the move paid off...Haus retired on a ground ball to Whitney Arion at short to end the inning and the threat. 


Louisville opened the bottom of the seventh with the top of the order, but Esteban grounded out, Keller took  a called third strike from Winter...who then proceeded to hit the next batter -- Alicja Wolny -- with a pitch. The Cards couldn't capitalize on the baserunner, though...Fowler flied out to center to send the game to extra innings. 

Leonard got the Cards through the top of the eighth, facing four batters and giving up a single before getting the third out. 

That set the stage for Trimble...who took Winter's first pitch of the inning to deep right and over the fence to give the Cards the win and their first tournament title since 2007. 


We figure that distance from plate to the fence where the ball went over is about 210 feet. Jordan's shot went 211. Maybe. 


It was a classic moment and fitting tribute for the sophomore who never seems rattled, is always smiling and overcame a devastating broken ankle last year to return to the lineup and become the anchor of the team in center field. An infielder her first year at UofL, Trimble accepted Coach Pearsall's re-assignment without a grumble or question. It's what leaders and team players do.


Jordie is majoring in Justice Administration. Yesterday, she administered a little justice of her own. 

Had her "Christmas Story" moment after
misjudging a fly ball against the
Cards Saturday. Naughty, naughty! 

Notre Dame. Beaten in their place by the Cards. The arrogant Irish, suggesting that the conference regular-season title might have landed in South Bend if the two had met in the regular BIG EAST schedule. The goof-ball antics of their pitcher and her demeaning display of superiority after getting a strike out. Act like you've been there before, Laura. The f-bomb dropping center fielder Alexa Maldonado.




Here's a thought...when on ESPN 2...remember the cameras just might be on you and there are kids watching. 


Trimble was named  M.O.P. of the tournament. Collins, Fowler, Trimble and Wolny were named to the All-tournament team. 

The NCAA Softball Selection Show will be Sunday at 10 p.m. on ESPNU. One would expect Louisville to get a chance to host one of the sixteen regional sites. 


Nice way to finish the BIG EAST slate. Now, the NCAA awaits. One game at a time, CARDS...one inning at a time. 


YOUR 2012 BIG EAST REGULAR SEASON AND TOURNAMENT CHAMPS: THE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS !!


************************************************************************


Happy Mothers Day to all! 


Paul: 

There's not a day that goes by where I don't think of my departed Mom. Although her time on earth was short, her impact on me, my family and those who knew her was large. 


They say that a mother's work is never done and I believe that. I know that my mom is smiling down upon me in heaven...proud of the accomplishments we managed here on earth below. I wear her wedding band on my little finger of my left hand...a reminder of her...and wish all Mom's out there the best. Happy Mother's Day! 


Sonja: 

I am fortunate enough to still have my 'Mutti' with me and able to enjoy the things in life with her. I wish a very happy Mothers Day to each and every Mom out there and thanks for the things you do.


We leave you with this great Mother's Day story.


The flock of ducklings were following their mother right up to the edge of the busy highway. Trusting, obedient and grouped behind her. Traffic, however, was heavy and there seemed no way that they'd get to the other side of the road. 


A station wagon stopped and a lady got out. She motioned for the traffic behind her to stop...and then walked right into the opposing lane of traffic and held up her hand.


4:30 p.m., rush hour traffic. But, the cars stopped. Mama Duck saw the hiatus in car movement and led her brood across the road. 


A frustrated motorist several cars back yelled out the window.


"Hey lady, what do you think you're doing?"


She loudly replied,


"Being a mother. Helping a mother." 


You could hear the cheers and applause from the rest of the cars as the pack scurried to safety. 


Sometimes, it takes a mother to get it done.
.
..
...

Saturday CARDINAL COUPLE - Cards blank DePaul 2-0. Play Notre Dame today for title

.
SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Collins tosses two-hit shutout. CARDS win 2-0


-Okoro breaks school record for discus


-Women's Basketball: The ATayy site and video


DePaul? DeFeated. 

Tori Collins allows just two hits in win.

Next?


Behind the two-hit, complete game pitching of Louisville senior Tori Collins and a key two-out, two RBI double from freshman Kayla Soles -- the Cards softball team advances to the BIG EAST Softball tournament title game today against Notre Dame. 


Louisville gets revenge against the only BIG EAST team to defeat them in the regular season behind the arm of torrid Tori Collins...who struck out six en route to improving her record to 24-1. 


Any questions on who the best pitcher in the BIG EAST is now? 


If so, they might be settled today at 6 p.m. when Louisville could face the selected BIG EAST pitcher of the year in Notre Dame's Laura Winter. The Irish defeated St John's 5-1 yesterday to earn their berth in the BIG EAST Tournament championship game. 


Louisville 2 - DePaul 0

The two squads hooked up in a scoreless battle for the first three innings. When the Cards came up to bat in the top of the fourth, it looked like they may hit the field for the bottom of the fourth still locked in a scoreless battle. The first two Cardinal batters returned to the dugout victims of Kirsten Verdun's strong pitching.


If we've learned anything at all about this Louisville softball team this year, though, it is this:


Never count them out.

Jordan Trimble reached on a single. She advanced to third on a Maggie Ruckenbrod single. Kayla Soles delivered the goods next with a double that brought Trimble and Ruckenbrod home safely. 


2-0 Cards. And that was all Tori Collins needed. 


DePaul threatened in the bottom of the sixth when the first two Blue Demon batters reached base on a single and walk. Maggie Ruckenbrod, though, eliminated Samantha Dodd from second with a pick-off throw to Katie Keller. A fielder's choice grounder sent Verdun to second but Collins got out of the jam when Mary Connolly grounded out to Keller. 


Collins retired the side in order in the seventh to get the win. Louisville got seven hits to go with the two runs against Verdun...who is 26-13 on the year. 


DePaul should get an NCAA bid, by our estimation...so strong sophomore lefty Verdun, who was on the All-BIG EAST First Team, should get at least one more pitching opportunity this year. 

Kirsten Verdun probably isn't done for the year.

Notre Dame today at 6 p.m. It marks the third straight year Louisville has played in the tournament title game...losing to Syracuse in both 2010 and 2011.


We'll have a full recap of the action later tonight. 


A link for the video highlights of yesterday's win below


Cards 2 - DePaul 0


*******************************************


Chinwe Okoro broke a four year record for women's discus at UofL with a throw of 58.25m/191-1 in competition during the Cardinal twilight events yesterday.

She defeats the mark set by Louisville's Jere Summers, who...coincidentally...was on hand to witness the toss. Summers, who has graduated from Louisville, was competing as an individual yesterday... getting in some throws as she tries to qualify for the 2012 Olympic team. She finished second yesterday to Okoro. 


Cards get a couple of weeks off until the NCAA preliminary rounds in Jacksonville


*******************************************


Asia Taylor (ATayy31) has a blog. The Cards spoofing American Idol is worth watching. Link to her site is below.

Good stuff! Go get some...


Link:


ATayy



This is where we check your vision and see how well you can read this
small print. Most of you would probably raise your arms up in the air and
howl in protest if we did the site in print this small each day. We wouldn't
blame you. So, if you got to the end of this, and want to prove to us that
you did...e-mail the words "Afghanistan Bananastand" to us at
cardinalcouple@insightbb.com

.
..
...